Various reseller and local exchange carrier (LEC) configurations exist where a customer's user device (e.g., a telephone, an Internet Protocol (IP) based telephone, etc.) may access a domestic switching network (e.g., a central office). Such configurations may be desired over accessing Signaling System 7 (SS7) based networks if the LEC does not wish to incur the additional costs and overhead associated with SS7 network requirements but wishes to permit transmission of call associated data (e.g., Calling Party Number (CPN) information, etc.). If a LEC maintains a toll services agreement or Equal Access capabilities with other toll service providers, the LEC may be required to provide a charge or bill-to number, associated with the LEC, in addition to the customer's CPN.
Enhanced 911 (or E911) service is a feature of the 911 emergency-calling system that automatically associates a physical address with a calling party's Automatic Number Identification (ANI). The enhanced 911 service provides emergency responders with the location of the emergency without the calling party having to provide it. A final destination of a 911 call (e.g., where the 911 operator is located) is referred to as a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). The CPN may be used to determine ANI information associated with the calling party. The ANI information may be used to look up an address of the calling party, associated with the ANI, in a third party Automatic Location Identification (ALI) database that is secure and separate from the public telephone network. The determined address of the calling party may be used to locate the closest PSAP to the calling party in the emergency situation. The PSAP may receive emergency (or 911) calls and associated address information, and may respond to the emergency accordingly.
However, since the LEC charge number takes precedence over the CPN of the calling party in the LEC configuration discussed above, the LEC charge number may be used to determine the ANI information that is transmitted to the third party ALI database in the event of a 911 call. The ALI database will return the address associated with ANI information of the LEC charge number instead of the address associated with the ANI information of the calling party. In such a scenario, the PSAP will be unable to determine the address information associated with the calling party because the PSAP will not have the correct address of the calling party. This may make it difficult to administer proper emergency services to a calling party in a crisis situation. Furthermore, the PSAP located closest to the address associated with the ANI information of the LEC charge number may be the first PSAP contacted by the 911 call, may not be located anywhere near the calling party, and may have to transfer the call to the PSAP closest to the calling party. Thus, the calling party may lose valuable time in receiving emergency services in a situation where time is of the essence, while the proper PSAP is located.